Belt and control assembly for artificial limbs



y 1941- f F. J. PERRIN 2,251,065

BELT AND CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS:

Filed NOV. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l F. J. PERRIN July 29, 1941.

BELT AND CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS Filed NOV. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r i/n,

Patented July 29, 1941 BELT AND CONTROL ASSEBIBLY FOR ARTIFICIAL LIM'BS Frederick J. Pen-in, Prophetstown, Ill.

Application November 20, 1940, Serial No. 366,461

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an artificial limb support and control means, and more particularly to a belt and control means for artificial legs for amputations above the knee.

It is anobject of this invention to provide a belt and control means for an artificial leg wherein the belt does not interfere with the breathing or in any mannerinconvenience the wearer.

It is another object to provide a belt means of elastic material which is capable of expanding and contracting with the motion of the body of the wearer so that the belt means remains in its correct position at all times.

It is another object of this invention to provide a belt assembly and control means for an arti- -ficial limb whereby the artificial limb is firmly held to the body without causing the belt to sag or become disarranged regardless of the position assumed by the wearer thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a belt and control assembly for an artificial leg so that the artificial leg will be firmly held tothe body in any position assumed by the wear-v er. That is, the wearer. of this belt and control assembly for an artificial-leg can step, sit, kneel,

crawl and the like and the artificial leg will be heldfirmly tothe body or stump of'the leg, and as a result thereis no pinching and chafing of the stump *of the leg.

It is a still further object of. this invention to provide a belt and control assembly for an artificial limb whereby the toe of vthe.foot of the artificial limb is maintained in a straight. correct position for safe and comfortable walking.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a belt and control assembly for an artificial leg for an amputation above the knee whereby the safest and most comfortable service is obtained, affording the wearer thereof entire freedam and still serves all of the functions for which it is designed, such as sitting, lying, stooping,

an artificial leg, wearing the belt and control assembly therefor, and showing the front of the belt and control assembly.

Figure 2 is a rear view of a person having an artificial leg, and showing the rear view of the belt and control assembly as mounted on the. wearer.

Figure 3 is a top plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the belt and control assembly for an artificial leg.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of an artificial limb, showing control means mounted thereon.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of the front control strap mounted on a spring steel member of kneeling, and the like. After being. employed in the positions of sitting, lying, stooping, and the like, it is not'necessary to adjust the artificial leg on the stump of a leg by twisting, ull-P ing and the like, when an upright position is resumed. I I

Other objectsand advantages of the invention will hereinafter be .made fully apparent in the specification and pointedo the claims. 1

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate likeparts throughout the several: views Referring to the drawings:

Figure I atfront. view ,of a person having the belt.

Referring in detail to the drawings: l0 indicates a person with an amputation above the knee, and the person is shown with the artificial limb in position on the stump of the amputated leg M. The belt and control assembly for the artificial limb I2, is indicated by the numeral I 6. v

A belt I8 is adapted to be worn about the, waist of the person having the. amputated leg and is for aiding in supporting and holding said artificial limb l2 in position on the iegystump" Id. The belt I8 is made of elastic materlaLljiifidfi the belt l8 being of elastic'material adj'ust's it? self to the body of thewearer and permitsen-Q tire freedom for breathing and'for movements: of vthe body in assuming different postures..." belt I8 is reinforced throughoutlits length by; vertically spaced stays l5 which prevent falling and sagging thereof. Buckle and'str'a'p l I are employed for securing me a belt togethen A length'of, 'leather'l or otherwise secured longitudinall l8 and extends from near; the frontof the belt to about %i of,{the distal the belt, and the length'fdf'fleathei!!! pocket 'or runway 22 for, arrying spring steel approximately %;of an'n and z of an inch thick and win inches in length. The length Ibf is encased in a. leather s;l1 i eldj24 spring steel 23 is spaced edgewi I the belt in the runway llofj theleng'thoflea 20. One end of the len'gth'ofi leather'll is closed as'at 25 while the; opposite end leis 'pej lengthofleather 20has ,spac edcut. ty fort 28, and connecting parts iifl, betweenf'ith [sect 32 thereof, which are not stitchedgtothejbel lit, and as a consequence the" beltran expandand 'contract with movements of the body, or the length of spring steel 23 at the front portion of the belt I8 and depends downwardly over the center of the leg stump I4. The center arm 36 of a strap assembly 42 is detachably secured to the strap member 34 through a buckle 44 and loop means 45. The other arms of the strap assembly 42 are designated 38 and 48 respectively. Each of the arms of the strap assembly 42 is made of elastic material. The lower ends of the arms 36, 38 and 48 of the strap assembly 42 are joined together by a leather covering 44. A buckle 46 attached to the leather covering 44 is adapted to fasten the strap assembly 42 to a strap 48. Arms 38 and 48 of the strap assembly 42 have their upper ends secured to the upper portion of the artificial leg I2, while arm 36 is not attached to the artificial leg but is threaded through a half ring member 58 which is fastened to the artificial leg.-

The strap 48 extends through an aperture 5| in the front portion of the artificial leg and runs over a roller means 52 inside the artificial leg, thence out an aperture 54 in the rear of the artificial leg. The strap 48 extends to and is connected to an elastic strap 56, and the elastic strap 56 is adjustably secured to the steel spring means 23 carried by belt I8, slightly back of the hip of the wearer.

A strap means 58 is looped to the steel spring means 23 of the belt I8 at the hip of the wearer I8 and extends downwardly to the upper part of the thigh of the artificial limb I2 and is secured thereto at 68. The strap 58 comprises an elastic portion 62 and a non-elastic portion 64. A half inch in width strap 51 is connected to the elastic portion 62 of the strap assembly 58 and 42 will stretch as they assume the strain of the artificial limb at the front portion thereof. As the strain of the artificial limb I2 increases on the arms 38 and 48 during the process of taking a step, they will gradually stretch. The gradual stretching of the arms 38 and 48 as the artificial limb is raised furnishes a springy resistance, the strain coming on the limb itself in the front at the points where arms 38 and 48 are secured to the artificial leg, and on the belt I8 at the rear through the means of straps 48 and 56. when ,,the strain of the artificial limb I2 is on the arms 38 and 48 of the strap assembly 42 and on the extends across the front of the thigh, being secured by a buckle means 58 to the inner front side of the artificial limb I2 at thecrotch of the wearer. Strap 51 holds the top of the artificial limb firmly in the crotch. The buckle means 58 permits adjustments of the strap 51.

The half ring 58 holds the strap 34 and arm 38 of the strap assembly 42 in a straight line and insures that the strap 48 will transmit a 1 straight pull through arm 36 and strap 34 on the spring steel member 23 of the belt I8. The belt I8 is adapted to carry a part of' the weight of the artificial limb I2 in walking through means of strap 34 which is attached to the steel spring means 23 of the belt I8 at the front portion thereof, elastic arm 38 of the strap assembly 42, strap 48 which passes over a roller means member 88 which is secured to the steel spring member 23 0f the belt I8 slightly to the rear of the hip. This combination of straps is adapted to hold the artificial limb firmly to the stump ofthe amputatedleg, when the wearer is in an upright position. The arm 38 of the strap assembly 42 being of' elastic material imparts a springy action to the artificial limb.

When the artificial limb I2 is lifted in walk- 8. the arms 38 and 48 of the strap assembly (not shown) may be used to maintain 82 in the artificial leg, and the elastic strap "55 rear of the belt I8, through the medium of straps 48 and 56, the arm 86, strap 34 and. straps 51 and 58 are relaxed. Further, arm 36 aids in holding the artificial limb I2 against the stump of the leg when in an upright or standing position, while the arms 38 and 48 aid in holding the artificial limb against the stump of the leg I4 when the knee of the artificial leg is bent in walking or in positions other than upright. The arms 38 and 48 of the strap assembly 42 also function to hold said limb to the stump of the leg during the acts of sitting, kneeling, and crawling. There are no metal connections between the belt I8 and the artificial limb I 2, and therefore the artificial limb I2 has a free side action, when the limbs are spread apart. The arm 38 aids in holding the artificial limb to the stump of the leg, as the said limb returns to the straight position at the completion of a step.' Also the angular position of the arms 38 and 48 in relation to the thigh: and their juncture with each other, holds the toe of the foot of the artificial limb I2 in the correct position for safe and comfortable walking, thus lessening the dangers of stumbling or falling, and making it possible to clear rough walks or other obstacles.

The straps 34, 58, and 58 being looped to the spring metal supporting member 23 of the belt I8 so that they pull down on the top edge of the said spring metal supporting member when the artificial leg'is being used, and with such mountings, an even pull is placed onthe belt and :ggelfaore much weight can be sustained by the position on the waist of the wearer. The strap 88 which is partially elastic, assists in carrying the weight of the artificial limb I2, helps in holding the said limb in its proper position and furnishes an adjustment at the hip, allowing free side action to the limb and at the same time holding the side of the artificial limb's socket firmly to the stump of the leg I4. Suspenders the belt I8 in position upon rising from a chair or other "postures and as a consequence the belt need not be worn as tightly as otherwise.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A control assembly for an comprising a flexible belt adapted around a body at the waist of a fiorting member carried by artificial leg to be applied th begearer a supe a s rap secured to said supporting member, a flexible strap assembly comprising three arms, the strap extending, to the central arm of the flexible strap assembly, a juncture formed at the lower end the arms,'of the strap passing through apertures in the artificial leg and extending to the rear of the belt secured to the and being supporting member of the belt.

and the belt will still maintain its proper 3. A control assembly in combination with an 2. A control assembly for an artificial leg for an amputation above the knee comprising an elastic belt adapted to be applied around a body at the waist of a wearer, a pocket member secured to the belt, a spring metal supporting member being carried flat against the belt in the pocket member, the spring metal supporting member being free to expand and contract with the belt, a strap secured to the spring metal supporting member, a flexible strap assembly comprising three arms spaced atthe thigh portion of the artificial leg, the strap extending to and being connected to the flexible strap assembly, the upper end of two arms of the strap assembly being fastened to the artificial leg, a second strap extending from the strap assembly through apertures in the artificial leg and extending to the rear of said belt and being secured to the spring metal supporting member artificial limb for an amputation above the knee comprising a belt adapted to be applied around a body at the waist of a wearer, a strap secured to the belt, a flexible strap assembly comprising three arms spaced at the thigh portion of the.

artificial limb, the strap extending to and being connected to the strap assembly, the upper end of two arms of the strap assembly being fastened to the artificial limb, a second strap extending from the strap assembly through .the artificial limb and extending to the rear. of said belt and *being secured thereto, a third strap member secured, to the belt at the hip of the wearer and extending to the artificial limb at the side thereof and being secured thereto, and a fourth strap means connected to the said third strap member, and the fourth strap means extending to the upper inside of the artificial limb and being secured thereto.

FREDERICK J. PER-BIN. 

